[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 198 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 198

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Government of the Russian 
      Federation should turn over Edward Snowden to United States 
                  authorities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 18, 2013

   Mr. Graham (for himself and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Government of the Russian 
      Federation should turn over Edward Snowden to United States 
                  authorities, and for other purposes.

Whereas Edward Snowden leaked classified information to various sources 
        including the Guardian and the Washington Post;
Whereas Mr. Snowden fled the United States to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013, with 
        multiple laptops containing highly classified information;
Whereas, on June 5, 2013, the press reported classified information relating to 
        the national security of the United States;
Whereas Mr. Snowden's actions have compromised the national security of the 
        United States;
Whereas, on June 9, 2013, Mr. Snowden publicly stated, ``I have no intention of 
        hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong.'';
Whereas, on June 23, 2013, Mr. Snowden departed Hong Kong en route to Moscow, 
        Russia;
Whereas Mr. Snowden has been staying on Russian territory in the Sheremetyevo 
        Airport since his arrival;
Whereas the Sheremetyevo Airport is part of the sovereign territory of the 
        Russian Federation;
Whereas, on June 14, 2013, the United States Government filed a criminal 
        complaint against Edward Snowden for charges under section 641 (relating 
        to theft of Government property), section 793(d) (relating to 
        unauthorized communication of national defense information), and section 
        798(a)(3) (relating to the willful communication of classified 
        communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person) of 
        title 18, United States Code;
Whereas Mr. Snowden has stated his intentions to continue to leak classified 
        information and poses a continuing threat to the security of the United 
        States;
Whereas Mr. Snowden has applied for asylum in at least 21 countries, including a 
        number of countries with some of the worst human rights records, 
        including the Russian Federation, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, 
        and Ecuador;
Whereas, on July 16, 2013, Mr. Snowden applied for temporary asylum in the 
        Russian Federation in order to facilitate his transit to Latin America;
Whereas the Department of State Human Rights Report for 2012 cites the Russian 
        Federation's restrictions on civil liberties and the denial of due 
        process, allegations of torture and excessive force by law enforcement 
        officials; life-threatening prison conditions; interference in the 
        judiciary and the right to a fair trial; abridgement of the right to 
        privacy; restrictions on minority religions; widespread corruption; 
        societal and official intimidation of civil society and labor activists; 
        limitations on the rights of workers; trafficking in persons; and 
        attacks on migrants and select religious and ethnic minorities;
Whereas, on July 6, 2013, President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro offered asylum 
        to Snowden, stating, ``In the name of America's dignity . . . I have 
        decided to offer humanitarian asylum to Edward Snowden.'';
Whereas the Department of State Human Rights Report for 2012 cites the 
        Government of Venezuela for corruption, inefficiency, and politicization 
        in the judicial system; government actions to impede freedom of 
        expression; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; government use 
        of the judiciary to intimidate and selectively prosecute political, 
        union, business, and civil society leaders who were critical of 
        government policies or actions; government harassment and intimidation 
        of privately owned television stations, other media outlets, and 
        journalists throughout the year, using threats, fines, property 
        seizures, targeted regulations, and criminal investigations and 
        prosecutions; and failure to provide for due process rights, physical 
        safety, and humane conditions for inmates, which contributed to 
        widespread violence, riots, injuries, and deaths in prisons;
Whereas, on June 25, 2013, President of Russia Vladmir Putin stated that the 
        Russian Federation would never extradite Edward Snowden to the United 
        States;
Whereas, on July 16, 2013, White House spokesman Jay Carney stated that Mr. 
        Snowden should be expelled from the Russian Federation and returned to 
        the United States to face trial, stating, ``He is not a human rights 
        activist, he is not a dissident. He is accused of leaking classified 
        information.''; and
Whereas, on July 16, 2013, President Putin stated that Mr. Snowden ``came to our 
        territory without invitation, we did not invite him'' and that ``[we] 
        have certain relations with the United States and we don't want 
        [Snowden] to damage our ties'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the Government of the Russian Federation's continued 
        willingness to provide shelter to Edward Snowden is negatively 
        impacting bilateral relations with the United States;
            (2) the Government of the Russian Federation should 
        immediately turn Edward Snowden over to the appropriate United 
        States authorities so he can stand trial in the United States;
            (3) the President should consider options, including 
        recommending a different location for the September 2013 G20 
        summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, should the Russian Federation 
        continue to allow shelter for Mr. Snowden; and
            (4) the United States Government should consider all 
        economic and diplomatic options when pursuing Mr. Snowden.
                                 <all>